Locomotive stoker



P 1933- N. M. LOWER LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Filed June 12, 1929 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Sept. 5, 1933 r V U l'lE LOCOMOTIVE STOKER Nathan M. Lower, Iittsburgh, Pa., assignor to The Standard Stoker Company, Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware Application June 12, 1929. Serial No. 370,298

lClaim. (Cl. 116-101) This invention relates to the improvement in ward end to the tracks 15 by means of a bracket stokers delivering coal from the tender to an 25. The trough 26 extends forward to a point opening in the backhead of a locomotive which substantially beneath the cab deck 2. The sealcomprises a conduit rigidly attached to the backing angle 27, between the tender deck 6 and the head, a conduit rigidly attached to the tender, trough 26, is secured to the tender deck by bolts (50 and an intermediate conduit flexibly connecting 28, and prevents coal from spilling out over the the first two conduits; and relates particularly sides 29 of the trough. Aconveyor screw 18moves to the improvement in construction of the conthe coal through the entire length of the trough duit attached to the backhead so that coal can 26. It is driven at its rear end in the usual and 10 be easily transferred through the three conduits well known manner and need not be described. 5

by a screw conveyor having a minimum num- Arranged in end to end relation with the backber of flexible joints. head conduit 32 and the trough 26 is the inter- Novel details of construction, which increase mediate conduit 22. The intermediate conduit the efficiency of this type of stoker, will be ap- 22 projects through the cab deck 2 and extends parent during the course of the following deinto the locomotive cab, and its lower end termi- 70 scription taken in connection with the accomnates beneath the cab deck. It comprises a rearpanying drawing, in which: ward portion 30 and a forward portion 31 which Fig. l is a vertical longitudinal sectional View are capable of telescopical movement in relation of a locomotive and tender, and illustrates the imto each other. The rearward portion 30 is flexibly proved stoker applied thereto. connected to the forward end of the trough 26 75 Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 by the ball joint 8, and the forward portion 31 of Fig. 1. is flexibly connected to the backhead conduit Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 32 by the ball joint 9. This construction permits of Fig. l. angular movement between the locomotive and Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 designates tender as they negotiate curves. A conveyor 80 the locomotive cab; 2,- the locomotive cab deck; screw 23. extends throughout the entire length of 3, the back wall or backhead of the firebox; 4, the intermediate conduit 22 and projects into the locomotive frame; 5, the tender; and-6, the the backhead conduit 32, and is arranged to tender deck. transfer fuel through the intermediate conduit 0. The stoker comprises three main units or con- 22 and the backhead conduit 32 without substan- S5 duits, namely; the backhead conduit or nozzle tially changing the path of the fuel. The in- 32, the tender conduit or trough 26, and the inclined conveyor screw 23 is universally jointed clined intermediate conduit '22. The conduit 32 to and driven by the horizontal conveyor screw is rigidly fixed to the backhead .3 by any desirable 18.

and known means such as bolts 3a extending The cover 3'7 is rigidly secured to the deck 99 through the flange 3b which extends laterally of and rests on the fixed conduit 32 and consequently the conduit 32 beyond the marginal edges of the does not move with the intermediate conduit. firing opening 29. The conduit 32 is in communi- In operation, the coal falls from the bunker 16, cation with the lower portion of the firing openthrough an opening 17 in the tender deck, into the ing 20 which'accommodates hand and stoker firtrough 26. The conveyor screw 18 transfers the ing. It is preferable that the backhead conduit coal through the trough 26. The inclined screw 32 be inclined and straight. By eliminating 23 conveys the coal from the trough 26 forward sharp turns or bends in this conduit the passage and upward above the level of the cab deck, and of coal through it is not obstructed. It is more is the only means for moving the coal through particularly important that the bottom surface the intermediate conduit 22 and the backhead 7 of the backhead conduit 32 be inclined and conduit 32 to the distributor plate 33. The disstraight, since this is the surface over which the tributor plate 33 is secured to the backhead confuel moves. duit 32 in any suitable manner and extends The trough 26 is provided with rollers 14, and forwardly into the firebox. Immediately at the is moved to its proper location beneath the tender rear of the distributor plate 33 are the nozzles deck 6 by rolling it rearward on the tracks 15' 34 which issue fluid jets for discharging the fuel in the tender. The trough 26 is arranged horiover the firebed. The nozzles 34 are in communizontally, and is rigidily secured at its rear end to cation with cored passages 35 and pipe lines 36 the under side of the tender deck 6 by means are in communication with the cored passages ofa bracket 24, and is rigidly secured at its for- 35. The pipe lines 36 lead to a source of pressure fluid (not shown) and have suitable valves (not shown) for varying the pressure of the fluid jets.

What I claim as new is:-

In a locomotive having a firebox, a cab, a cab deck and a backhead provided with a firing opening, a tender for said locomotive, a tender deck, a stoker having a conduit rigidly attached to the backhead communication with said opening, a conduit horizontally and rigidly mounted as a pre-assembied unit on the tender beneath the tender deck, an intermediate conduit flexibly connected to the two named conduits by ball and socket joints, said intermediate conduit sloping forwardly and upwardly from the forward end of the second named conduit through the cab deck into the cab to the rear end of the first named conduit, a conveyor screw in each of the second and third named conduits, the screw of the latter conduit extending forwardly into the first named conduit, said screws being universally jointed together and comprising the sole means for transferring fuel through the three conduits in a stream unobstructed by screw shaft hanging bearings, the screw in said intermediate conduit arranged to convey the fuel from below the elevation of the cab deck to a point above the cab deck, the bottom surface or" the first named conduit, forward of its ball and socket joint, being inclined and substantially straight along its medial line, a distributor plate extending forward from the first named conduit, and fiuid jets issuing from nozzles at the rear of said distributor plate for discharging the fuel into the firebox.

NATHAN M. LOWER. 

